Insulation

[cmwingfield]

Hello,
I'm new to the forum but I've lived for five years, full-time in a 24' Colorado Yurt. I heat with wood and the first couple of years were kinda cold, but for the past few years things have been fine. I have the shiny/bubble wrap

insulation

in the ceiling and I also installed the foam sheathing panels over the

insulation

and hold it in place with insulation stays. (If you're not familiar with insulation stays, they are pieces of stiff wire you cut and they fit between the rafters and hold the insulation without permanent attachment. For the walls, I used the thin

moisture

barrier that comes in sheets from Lowes. I then went to Academy Sport and bought 24 polyfill sleeping bags that I slid behind the wall lattice next to the thin blue insulation. I used those little clip things that are used to hold up curtains and zip tied them to the compression cable. They clip to the top of the sleeping bags and keep them from sagging. I can take the sleeping bags down and wash them and then put them back up. The sleeping bags cost 8 dollars each and I got all the green ones so the colors are the same! It looks good and it holds the heat. I also insulated the floor which made alot of difference. I'm open for questions as I feel my description isn't very clear.

[Jafo]

Ok, you may just get the Yurt Forum most creative insulation award with that sleeping bag idea. That is most awesome. It has me thinking, have you ever thought of stuffing the sleeping bags with something? I dunno, shredded clothing maybe? That might bump up the R value a little.

Do you live by yourself in the yurt or?

If you ever get time, we would love to see some pics of your setup.

Thanks for sharing and welcome aboard!

- Jeff

[cmwingfield]

Thanks! I haven't felt the need to stuff the sleeping bags. They are the kind that unzip which makes them approx. six feet square. I have them stacked two deep so there is about four inches of insulation. I live in Arkansas, so we have rather mild winters, but it still gets down into the twenties on many winter nights and the sleeping bags seem to work well. As for pictures, I have many but I don't think I know how post them. I live alone with my Boston Terrier Marty. I'm retired and have been for the past four years and I consider myself to be a young 60. I have tried solar, composting toilets, hauling water by hand, and many other successful and unsuccessful yurt living experiments. I can say after five years that living the my yurt has been the best thing I could have done for myself. Thanks for the welcome!